Page 55 of 4 Weddings and a Feud
Tilting her head, she took it from him and slipped her thumb under the seam of the wrapping paper. Gently, she peeled it off.
She gasped. “You bought me a tablet computer?”
“You can use it to store your notes electronically and sync it with your desktop computer. Or replace that dinosaur altogether. Then you won’t have to lug around your bulky binder.”
“This…this is too much.”
“Consider it an investment,” he said.And a peace offering,he didn’t say. He’d acted like a dick at karaoke. But the place had been packed with his business contacts, including some he needed for the Paradise deal. He couldn’t make a fool of himself in front of people he needed to impress.
“I…” She hugged it to her chest. “Thank you.”
“You’re welcome. And I have another gift for you.” He pulled a black card from his pocket and handed it to her.
“A hotel gift card?” She scrunched up her nose.
“It’s for you to use at the spa. Unlimited treatments. Maybe you could go tomorrow? You said Wednesdays are usually slow at the shop.” The gift was at least fifty percent selfish. A day of relaxation might get them back to where they were after San Diego. When they’d become “friends and.”
“Oh. Um. You’re right. I could go in the morning. A massage would be nice.”
“Stay all day. The spa bistro serves lunch. The ancient grains salad is amazing. And after…”
“After?” Both corners of her mouth quirked up.
“After your day of pampering, I can relax you the way I did in San Diego.”
“Mmm. I like the sound of that.”
So did he.
* * *
The next day, Alex was so distracted by visions of a relaxed, glowing Mary that at noon, he took a break from work to ride the elevator down to the spa level.
The wide-eyed receptionist in her black scrubs stammered, “M-M-Mr. Villa. We weren’t expecting you until Friday.”
“It’s fine, Chantal. I’m meeting Miss Forza in the bistro.” He turned toward the men’s changing rooms, which led out to the restaurant and indoor pool area.
“Oh! Um, Mr. Villa?”
“Yes?” He turned back impatiently.
“She—she’s not here. She left.”
“Left?”
“She had the desert sage oil massage and started the parafango wrap, but then she said she couldn’t stay. We scrubbed it off, and she…left.”
She left before lunch? The spa didn’t open until nine. A full day of pampering had turned into an hour or two. “Dammit, Mary,” he muttered. The woman could take care of everyone except herself. Would it have been so difficult to enjoy herself for a change? Would it have killed her to let him take care of her?
His breath caught in his chest. Unless something had happened to her. Or to her brothers.
“Are you okay, Mr. Villa? Would you like me to find someone to give you a hand massage?”
He cracked his knuckles. “No, thank you, Chantal. I’ll wait for my regular appointment on Friday.”
He strode to the elevator and waited until he was back in his office with his resources all around him before he called Mary.
“Hi!” she chirped. “Thanks so much for the spa day. It was lovely.”
